The security forces came to the Moscow bars La Virgen Taqueria and Underdog, several visitors to the establishments told the human rights project OVD-Info.
According to eyewitnesses, the visit was related to «sponsoring the Armed Forces of Ukraine.» Underdog posted on his Instagram page that «the bar will be closed indefinitely today at the request of the police.» La Virgen, without specifying the reasons, wrote that he would not work today and all Saturday.
According to SOTA, at about ten in the evening, the riot police left Underdog, while one of the visitors was forced by the security forces to write “Z for Russia” on the door. In the room itself, the songs of the Shaman, «Lube», as well as «Blue Handkerchief» and «Hey, oh, yes, my black horse» were turned on.
Interlocutors of OVD-Info added that the security forces had sledgehammers and stun guns with them. An Underdog employee, who wished to remain anonymous, told Mediazone that bar patrons were forced to sing along, threatened with shockers, and people with tattoos were asked to undress. According to lawyer Konstantin Erokhin, fiscal drives and two terminals were seized from the bar. Underdog employees told him about the beatings and the use of shockers during the raid.
Later, OVD-Info wrote that there were detainees among the visitors and staff of both establishments — they were taken to the police department in the Basmanny district. Erokhin, in a conversation with Mediazona, clarified that about 40-50 people were detained in total, most of them were released from the department after checking their telegram subscriptions. The lawyer told the First Department that the detainees were interrogated by employees of the Moscow department of the FSB, Erokhin himself was not allowed into the department. . In the video published by the latter, visitors are forced to sing the song «Birches». One of the security officials says: “We are pulling, we are pulling.”
In early July 2022, La Virgen published a post about a vinyl record market, the proceeds of which are going to be sent to the Kyiv Angels charity. The website of this organization says that it helps the Armed Forces of Ukraine, doctors and civilians affected by the war.
After that, calls appeared in pro-government and pro-military publics to conduct “checks on the facts of terrorist financing, participation in subversive activities,” and threats began to come to La Virgen and Underdog employees. At the same time, TV presenter Vladimir Solovyov drew attention to the bars, who was indignant at the fact that «the people involved in fundraising have not yet been arrested.»
As a result, La Virgen wrote that the institution's Instagram account was hacked and that the team did not plan to help the Ukrainian army. The founder of the cafe explained that donations from the events «always went» to help the shelter «Your dog's business.» On July 10, Underdog announced a rally in support of the Russian Red Cross and the «millions of refugees» who are in Russia.
Updated at 21:57: Added information about the letter Z on the Underdog door, arrests, and a comment from the bar staff.
Updated at 23 :40: Added information about the number of arrests.